Modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus spp. production for jet fuel additives in the United States

Maggie R. Davis; David Kainer; Gerald A. Tuskan; Matthew H. Langholtz; Chad M. Hellwinckel; Magen Shedden; Laurence Eaton

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105807

Modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus spp. production for jet fuel additives in the United States

Maggie R. Davis, David Kainer, Gerald A. Tuskan, Matthew H. Langholtz, Chad M. Hellwinckel, Magen Shedden, Laurence Eaton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Feedstock price and availability remain a barrier to adoption of cellulosic biofuels. Eucalyptus spp., can produce an energy-dense terpene suitable for high-density synthetic hydrocarbon-type fuel (grade JP-10) production in addition to cellulosic-based feedstock for traditional jet fuels (e.g., grade Jet A) and gasoline. This study modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus to fulfill US fuel markets. Cold-tolerant Eucalyptus was simulated in an annual coppice system for maximized leaf production. Results of the lowest simulated price ($110 t⁻¹) show that within 10 years, there is potential to produce 204 million L yr⁻¹ of fuel, including 51 million L yr⁻¹ of JP-10-type fuel, 75 million L yr⁻¹ of Jet A type fuel, and 77 million L yr⁻¹ of gasoline. These quantities of fuel could be valued at approximately $500 million (USD), with feedstock costs totaling approximately $100 million (USD). Longer-term markets (to 20 years) or higher priced (to $220 t⁻¹) scenarios show potential for more production. Research to determine potential for genetic improvement, delivered fuel costs, and biorefinery siting near existing infrastructure is recommended.

Original language	English
Article number	105807
Journal	Biomass and Bioenergy
Volume	143
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105807
State	Published - Dec 2020

Funding

County-level per-hectare annual yields of energy crops are a key input variable to POLYSYS. Because Eucalyptus is not widely cultivated in the US, geographically explicit yields for Eucalyptus in the US is not well known. Yields of other energy crops have been empirically modeled based on results of the Sun Grant Regional Feedstock Partnership in collaboration with the Oregon State University PRISM modeling group [52]. Using yield data collected from more than one hundred field trials of energy crops collected from 2008 to 2014, county-specific per-hectare yields based on 30-year historic weather data were modeled in PRISM [53]. The Regional Feedstock Partnership modeled yields for energy crops including energy cane, switchgrass (upland and lowland), Miscanthus, poplar, biomass sorghum, and other energy crops. However, Eucalpytus field trial data from the Regional Feedstock Partnership lacked adequate geographic breadth to quantify statistically valid relationships in PRISM. Further, data on annually coppiced Eucalpytus field trials in the U.S, were unavailable and so.This research was funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) under Award Number DE-15593. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05- 00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). This research was funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) under Award Number DE-15593. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05- 00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ).

Funders	Funder number
DOE Public Access Plan
Regional Feedstock Partnership modeled yields for energy crops including energy cane
US Department of Energy
United States Government
U.S. Department of Energy	DE-AC05- 00OR22725, DE-15593
Oregon State University

Keywords

Aviation biofuels
Bioenergy crops
Mallee eucalypts
Oil mallee
Short-rotation annual coppice

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105807

Cite this

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title = "Modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus spp. production for jet fuel additives in the United States",

abstract = "Feedstock price and availability remain a barrier to adoption of cellulosic biofuels. Eucalyptus spp., can produce an energy-dense terpene suitable for high-density synthetic hydrocarbon-type fuel (grade JP-10) production in addition to cellulosic-based feedstock for traditional jet fuels (e.g., grade Jet A) and gasoline. This study modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus to fulfill US fuel markets. Cold-tolerant Eucalyptus was simulated in an annual coppice system for maximized leaf production. Results of the lowest simulated price ($110 t−1) show that within 10 years, there is potential to produce 204 million L yr−1 of fuel, including 51 million L yr−1 of JP-10-type fuel, 75 million L yr−1 of Jet A type fuel, and 77 million L yr−1 of gasoline. These quantities of fuel could be valued at approximately $500 million (USD), with feedstock costs totaling approximately $100 million (USD). Longer-term markets (to 20 years) or higher priced (to $220 t−1) scenarios show potential for more production. Research to determine potential for genetic improvement, delivered fuel costs, and biorefinery siting near existing infrastructure is recommended.",

keywords = "Aviation biofuels, Bioenergy crops, Mallee eucalypts, Oil mallee, Short-rotation annual coppice",

author = "Davis, {Maggie R.} and David Kainer and Tuskan, {Gerald A.} and Langholtz, {Matthew H.} and Hellwinckel, {Chad M.} and Magen Shedden and Laurence Eaton",

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year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105807",

language = "English",

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AU - Davis, Maggie R.

AU - Kainer, David

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AU - Shedden, Magen

AU - Eaton, Laurence

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AB - Feedstock price and availability remain a barrier to adoption of cellulosic biofuels. Eucalyptus spp., can produce an energy-dense terpene suitable for high-density synthetic hydrocarbon-type fuel (grade JP-10) production in addition to cellulosic-based feedstock for traditional jet fuels (e.g., grade Jet A) and gasoline. This study modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus to fulfill US fuel markets. Cold-tolerant Eucalyptus was simulated in an annual coppice system for maximized leaf production. Results of the lowest simulated price ($110 t−1) show that within 10 years, there is potential to produce 204 million L yr−1 of fuel, including 51 million L yr−1 of JP-10-type fuel, 75 million L yr−1 of Jet A type fuel, and 77 million L yr−1 of gasoline. These quantities of fuel could be valued at approximately $500 million (USD), with feedstock costs totaling approximately $100 million (USD). Longer-term markets (to 20 years) or higher priced (to $220 t−1) scenarios show potential for more production. Research to determine potential for genetic improvement, delivered fuel costs, and biorefinery siting near existing infrastructure is recommended.

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KW - Bioenergy crops

KW - Mallee eucalypts

KW - Oil mallee

KW - Short-rotation annual coppice

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Modeled economic potential for Eucalyptus spp. production for jet fuel additives in the United States

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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